NFL Player News with Jack Cavanagh – Rookie Mini Camps

by Jack Cavanagh · Analytics & Advanced Metrics

There are many news stories that come across the wire. Some have some merit. Others are straight-up clickbait. In this new series, PlayerProfiler’s own NFL Insider and Host of PlayerProfiler Today, Jack Cavanagh, cuts through the mess to find real NFL player news everyone wants to know.

PlayerProfiler is dedicated to keeping the reader one step ahead of the competition.

What Do Rookie Mini-Camps Mean for Fantasy Football?

Good evening. Our top story this week: Rookie fever is out of control across the NFL.

Rookie-Minicamps have taken place, and full-team Organized Team Activities are beginning to kick off. Every day NFL player news comes to light, narrative are formed, new footage of rookies emerges, and every day the internet loses its collective mind.

Jahmyr Gibbs Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile

May is the time of year when every player is in the best shape of their career. Every rookie is going to be a star! But how much of this actually matters?

The short answer is: very little. Of course Sam LaPorta is the best rookie at Lions practices, Jahmyr Gibbs wasn’t participating due to an ankle injury.

Obviously Quentin Johnston is going to look good in shorts with Justin Herbert throwing him the ball (Justin Herbert -> Quentin Johnston)

And you cannot be surprised by Bijan Robinson lining up as a receiver in one singular clip.

None of this is surprising and, more importantly, none of this is actionable. The majority of practice highlights don’t mean a damn thing. 

Coach Speak

Most quotes from coaches are also meaningless. We are constantly lamenting the lies coaches tell us throughout the season. So why exactly do we believe that Robinson is going to see extensive time in the slot when Christian McCaffrey (13.5-percent of pass snaps), Devin Singletary (13-percent), and Raheem Mostert (16.3-percent) were the only RBs to play more than 50 snaps in the slot? It’s a great idea but in practice. However, it’s not something that actually happens. But it’s the off-season, and we’re bored, so we entertain the idea knowing full well it will never come to fruition.

Everything is Awesome

Everything is awesome throughout May and June, which is why the most actionable pieces of information are the negative bits. If a player is out of shape – that’s a red flag. Sometimes a player’s rehab isn’t coming along as expected – that’s a red flag. If a coach has anything negative to say about a player – that is a red flag. We should expect good news this time of year, which is why we must take note when we hear bad news. Thankfully none of that has transpired yet, and the most negative press thus far has been how small Bryce Young looks (which we already knew).

It’s a wonderful time of year. May allows us to dream big about all the wonderful things these rookies can do before training camp smacks us in that face with the cold hard fact that not everyone is going to be a star.

Some of our favorites will bust. Some of the players we don’t believe in will break out. And some of the brightest stars of spring will fade by the time August rolls around. Until then, all we can do is sit back and enjoy the ride as Will Levis repeatedly breaks the internet with his arm strength.